As part of the wider approach to digital and traditional engagement, Smart Alert was launched by Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire Matthew Ellis in March 2016 to improve engagement between Staffordshire Police and the communities they serve.

The free service, which is for people aged 12 years or over, allows you to personalise your alerts to find out more about rural, horse, canal, school and cycle crime. Each alert will include an incident number and contact details so members of the public can contact Staffordshire Police if they have any relevant information. Local businesses can also receive Smart Alerts that are relevant to their industry sector.

A refresh to the original system means that local officers can now send instant alerts when a crime has just taken place, or is taking place, in their area. These targeted alerts can be sent out to a radius ranging from 3km down to a single street in an area, for example, where a child has gone missing or a home has been broken into.

This will allow residents and businesses to play a more active role in their community and act as the eyes and ears of Staffordshire Police to help stop criminals in their tracks.

You can download the Staffordshire Smart Alert App from Google Playstore or the Apple App Store. Alternatively you can register for email updates at http://www.staffordshiresmartalert.uk.